Student Preparation
As students in online courses, you must reallize that online courses are learner-focused and you must take a more active role in your education. Instructors serve as guides, mentors, and content experts to the students and they are role models for the learning experiences. Technology plays a critical role for students to research topics and attain resources both guided by the instructor and constructed by the students. Therefore, multimedia, which consists of two or more forms of media to include text, audio, video, animation, and graphics in interactive formats to communicate ideas, is used to meet a wide variety of learning styles.
Individual learning preferences include:
Learning Style
Individuals perceive and process information in very different ways. The learning styles theory implies that how much individuals learn has to do with whether the educational experience is geared toward their particular style of learning.
- Vark – for assessment
Mind Style
This is Drl. Gregorc’s updated, powerful and widely used research-based, self-assessment for adults. It is designed for identifying and quantifying the CS (Concrete Sequential)/AS (Abstract Sequential)/AR (Abstract Random)/CR (Concrete Random) mind qualities and their respective style characteristics. In online learning, understanding your Mind Style can affect your perception and approach to online learning.
Personality Type
KnowYourType offers a personality indicator that gives insight into how and why people understand and approach the world in such different ways. It’s called the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Instrument.
Competencies/Skills
Varying levels of competencies and skills such as traditional reading, writing, visual, and technical literacy factor into the overall success of the student in either of the two learning environments.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUCCESS
Time Management
How much per week should I invest in the coursework? Although an online course does not have any “face-to-face” meetings, there is still a significant time requirement for virtual course contact and homework hours.
Effective Communication
Effective Communication can be achieved by both passive and active learners. Many adult learners are contemplative, meaning they like to think out scenarios for the learning before a response is formed. Many active learners, however, will more freely share their perspective using instinct and prior knowledge. There are keys to communication that help to make sure you are heard and that others listen to your perspectives. Feedback will become objective and increase the learning for all students.
Community Interaction
A community of learners can extend outside of the traditionally based environment and can be easily achieved in the virtual world. Each person has an online personality that is shared with classmates to create camaraderie and support. Even though a course meets online, support can be found from other means that are not part of the course.
Planning for Contingencies
What happens when it goes wrong? Electronic information requires a working computer and internet connection; sometimes, these things just don’t work. Have a backup plan for these instances and make several backups of your files.
Frequently Asked Questions
See our frequently asked questions for approaches to online learning success.